[jbswear]

So on my GT380 project, I'm running a straight line from the tank to the carbs with a cut off valve and filter between.

No reserve line.

I'm thinking of adding a fuel level sensor, but am not sure how it works.

What I'm thinking of doing is getting a unit from an SV and attaching it to the tank, but I'm not sure what I would need to do. Is the "computing" power of the sensor in the unit or does it send a signal to a computer on the bike?

This is on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Mot...les_Parts_Accessories?_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116

So, my question is this: Can I mount this inside the gas tank, hook it up to a power source, and then hook it up to an LED warning light to let me know when I'm "low" (which will have to be determined) on fuel?

I'm considering something similar on my SV. Until I figure out how to mount the gauge cluster on the GSX-R front, I'm thinking of just removing the whole thing and hooking up a simple LED fuel warning light. Will that work without the gauge cluster?

 

[Galvatron]

I think its a very good bet that the SV's computer handles the warning light after getting the signal from the sender. Maybe find a universal setup for something like this?

 

[Nexus242]

From the service manual. Pretty easy to wire but mounting the sender is the trick.

 

[RandyO]

how it works will depend a lot on the shape of your tank and how the sensor is mounted .

the sensor measures voltage change as the fuel level drops

from there it would go to a ic chip that controls the led warning light
if you can figure out how to extract everything from a SV to make it work, you could probably figure out how to build your own from radio shack parts


there's gotta be aftermarket kits

 

[BlinkerFluid]

The fuel light on my SV hasn't been working. I've been searching everywhere for just a straight wire up walk-through.

 

[promazda]

It should be very easy take the two wires coming off the level sensor and connect them together. The sensor act as a ground when the fuel gets below a certain point. This is how I connected it to my vapor unit and it works great. All you will need is a small bulb you would connect the bulb to a switch on fused hot and then the two wires from sensor to the ground side of the bulb. When the switch is on and the fuel is low the bulb will start to light up dimmly at first then as the level gets lower the bulb will glow brighter until it is completely illuminated. By the way this is also a gen 1 fuel sender im not sure about the gen 2.

Jason

 

[Zach]

if you're going to all the trouble of installing a fuel sensor, why don't you just install a petcock with a regular reserve instead?

 

[jbswear]

Because my gas tank is a ghetto fab job. Petcocks for this bike are friggin' expensive and trying to replace them is hit or miss in terms of quality.

I also want a system that will warn me before it runs out of gas, which reserve doesn't do--the bike stumbles, and you've gotta reach down to switch. I want to avoid that.

 

[SDRider]

Gas gets low...Light comes on...

That's all I got. ;D

 

[Zach]

Because my gas tank is a ghetto fab job. Petcocks for this bike are friggin' expensive and trying to replace them is hit or miss in terms of quality.

I also want a system that will warn me before it runs out of gas, which reserve doesn't do--the bike stumbles, and you've gotta reach down to switch. I want to avoid that.

but buying a sensor, having a bung welded to the tank for it, running a wire and a light is cheap?

flipping a reserve lever is easy. heck, you can even practice going down the road.

 

[Coop]

Ah just do it the old fashioned way. Fill it up and run it empty, note the miles, and next time don't go so far .

 

[Nexus242]

You can always thump the tank and listen for the hollow or full sound it makes.

 

[RandyO]

You can always thump the tank and listen for the hollow or full sound it makes.

bwaaaaaa!

 

[Zach]

bwaaaaaa!

is that the noise of your head exploding?

 

[Iakayak81]

use an msr fuel bottle as your reserve tank ;D

 

[dmmcd]

You could use some clear tubing and make a 'sight glass' setup external to the tank somewhere, but this is probably dangerous...

It works better on tanks with a filler neck.

That service manual info seems to indicate it would be fairly easy. You could even cut the bung off an old trashed SV tank and use that for mounting. The only issue is how far into the tank it sticks, it might tell you it's empty when there is still a gallon left (or vice versa).

It looks like you could adjust the height of the sensors on the sending unit to account for that, though.

 

[Zach]

ya know brad, it isn't very "ton-up club" to depend on silly electronic gadgets.

;D

 

[Nexus242]

bwaaaaaa!

What is does kinda work!! ;D

 

[jbswear]

but buying a sensor, having a bung welded to the tank for it, running a wire and a light is cheap?

flipping a reserve lever is easy. heck, you can even practice going down the road.

The sensor is $20. All the welding/machining is free. I have a buddy that welds, and I have access to a great machine shop at work.

I don't want a reserve petcock. I want a warning light.

Ah just do it the old fashioned way. Fill it up and run it empty, note the miles, and next time don't go so far .

For now I'm gonna be stuck with that.

You could use some clear tubing and make a 'sight glass' setup external to the tank somewhere, but this is probably dangerous...

Yup. I'll be doing this on my Shovelhead when I get it up and running. It only has a tiny 2.5gallon peanut tank. I've seen other Harley riders do the same thing on their home-built choppers.

I don't think it'll fit the lines of this bike, though.

ya know brad, it isn't very "ton-up club" to depend on silly electronic gadgets.

;D

If this bike EVAR hits 100mph I don't think I want to be the one piloting it.

 

[Zach]

If this bike EVAR hits 100mph I don't think I want to be the one piloting it.

FACKING POOSEY!